EnglishGrade 6ages 11–12
💛 I like…
In Hebrew, the verb changes shape with the speaker's gender; in English it only changes for "she," "he," and "it" — so a child sometimes adds an "s" that doesn't belong, or leaves "I like" hanging with nothing after it.
Try this lesson freeNo card needed. The first lesson is free.
Download on the App StoreWhat your child learns
- I like + a thing: I like apples.
- I like, not I likes. The s does not go with I.
- After like you need something: don't stop at I like.
- In Hebrew the verb changes with the speaker's gender. In English it changes only for she, he and it.
The mistake most kids make here
I likes, or I like with nothing after it.
Try one question
About myself. Which is right?
About myself
- I likes music
- I like music
- I like
Answer
I like music — That's it. I like music — a bare verb, then the thing enjoyed.
How Maya teaches it
Your child tells Maya what they did in class. She teaches this topic at her desk, asks questions with tappable answers, and when the answer is wrong she explains why that answer was tempting instead of saying “try again”. She remembers what did not land and comes back to it.
Your child has it when they can: Say a sentence: I like … with a real thing.
How to help at home
"I like" always needs a real thing after it — I like apples, I like music — never just "I like" on its own. And it never takes an "s": not "I likes."
In Hebrew, the verb's ending shifts with the speaker's own gender. In English, the verb only changes for "she," "he," and "it" — never for "I." That mismatch is where the extra "s" comes from.
Practice by asking "what do you like?" and waiting for a full sentence back — "I like ___" — rather than accepting "I like" alone or a one-word answer.
A good sign of mastery: your child completes "I like" with a specific thing every time, and never adds an "s" onto "like" when talking about themselves.
Questions parents ask
- Why does my child say 'I likes'?
- In Hebrew, verbs change their ending based on who's speaking, including the speaker's gender. In English, the verb only changes for "she," "he," and "it" — never for "I" — so the habit of adding an ending carries over.
- Why does my child stop at 'I like' with nothing after it?
- "Like" needs an object — a thing being liked — to complete the sentence. Without practice naming that thing out loud, the sentence can trail off unfinished.
- What's a good practice question?
- "What do you like?" works well, because it invites a full sentence back rather than a yes-or-no answer.
- How does Maya teach this differently from flashcards?
- Maya asks for a sentence, not just a word, so the child practices naming what's liked and using the bare form of "like" together, in one breath.
No card needed. The first lesson is free.
Download on the App StoreMore English lessons
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- many / muchGrade 5
Sources: English Curriculum 2020 for elementary school – Israeli Ministry of Education